About 70 Protestant Christians lived in the village of San Rafael Tlanalapan, Puebla state, until Sept. 12, when they faced a frightening ultimatum — leave immediately or be “crucified or lynched.”
Traditionalist Catholics in the village, near the municipality of San Martín Texmelucan about 60 miles from Mexico City, reportedly threatened to burn down or otherwise destroy their homes.
The Protestants left. The traditionalist Catholics, who practice a blend of indigenous and Catholic rituals, reportedly asserted that 20 years ago, an assistant village president had vowed that no temple of any non-Catholic faith would ever be permitted in San Rafael Tlanalapan.
On Sept. 7, the village assistant president, Antonio Garcia Ovalle, reportedly met with the Protestants. The evangelicals promised to leave, though the 200 traditionalist Catholics present sought to beat them and expel them right then. The evangelicals’ departure date was set for Sept. 12.
In a newscast two days later on TV Azteca of Puebla, area traditionalist Catholic Irma Diaz Perez rejoiced, saying, “They will never return, because we have drawn up a document wherein they have no permission to come back now or ever.” (CDN)
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